Hardik Pandya is a unique player for India, and finding a pace all-rounder with his abilities has proven difficult. He has excelled in white-ball cricket, with no one quite matching his impact in those formats. However, Test cricket remains a challenge for Pandya, as he has not secured an irreplaceable position in that format. The last time he played international red-ball cricket was in 2018, and since then, he has not been part of India’s Test squad.
Why is Hardik Pandya missing from Test cricket?
The major issue in Hardik Pandya’s cricketing career has been his fitness. He has not represented India in Test cricket since 2018, primarily due to injury and fitness concerns. Since then, the Indian all-rounder has focused on the white-ball formats, achieving historic performances in T20I cricket. Pandya has not participated in any first-class matches for Baroda since 2018. The 30-year-old has also not shown interest in making a comeback in the red-ball format, as he has found success in the shorter formats.
Will Hardik Pandya return to Test cricket?
However, the equation has changed with the changes in management. After Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20I cricket, Pandya was seen as a natural successor, but Suryakumar Yadav was picked ahead of him. Speculation suggests that this decision was made due to Pandya’s unavailability for India in Test, implying that he is not fully fit to dedicate his time as a full-time captain.
Additionally, one reason could be that Gambhir would want him to play in Tests.
Pandya was seen preparing in training with a red-ball cricket. Moreover, there are chances that the all-rounder will participate in the domestic tournament, Ranji Trophy 2024. This has been marked as his return to red-ball cricket and preparation for a return to the India side for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2025.
Why India need Hardik Pandya in Test?
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India will require a pace all-rounder, and who could be better than Hardik Pandya if he is available? We have Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin as spin all-rounders who have proven to be match-winners on Indian surfaces. However, we have not found another Kapil Dev in Tests to win matches for India overseas. Pandya has the potential to do that.
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